Films for Imprisoned Fathers–Reminders for the Rest of Us?

For those of us on “the outside,” there are reminders and cajolings to celebrate fathers, at the expense of our credit-cards: There are commercial advertisements for apparel and grooming products; for sports cars and all-terrain vehicles; for father’s favorite meal at his favorite restaurant; and, of course, promotions for big-screen TVs.

For those “inside” – It has been estimated that in the United States alone, there are 2.7 million minor children who have a parent in prison or in jail. It has been estimated that one-in-28 U. S. children (about 3.6 percent) have an incarcerated parent.

It has been estimated that 92 percent of parents in prison are fathers.

Not much any one of us can do about such separations. Still, there was a gesture of – well, sympathy, or recognition – yes, recognition that took place within prison walls several years ago in the lead-up to the June recognitions of fatherhood.

That year (2008) – with look-the-other-way compassion and complicity of several corrections officers – a volunteer Language Arts instructor “smuggled” in a few DVDs which he played for the inmate-students who had qualified to take his literature-and-film course (and thus become eligible to earn community college credit).

Morality Tales - greed and psychosis

A fan of Humphrey Bogart's portrayals, the literature-and-film instructor considered showing The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) for its depictions of paranoia, avarice and irony. He was also tempted to show Key Largo (1948) for its depictions of violence, restraint when confronted with threats of violence, and well-timed recourse to revenge.

A moment of good after a lifetime of evil

Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) was shown. Many of the inmate-students identified with the get-out-of-the-ghetto aspirations that lead to a life of crime. They acknowledged the appeal of outlaw status and the stature it carries in some quarters. The inmate-students also acknowledged the Dead-End Kids’ admiration (close to veneration) for “the dude,” the swaggering bad-guy.

Armed robbery was his forte. Following his release from prison, the life of crime comes naturally. Again an outlaw, he commits three murders: two for revenge against bad-guys who set him up for a return to prison; the third (this of a policeman in an effort to avoid capture) marks him for capital punishment.

Will the bravado of a lifetime carry all the way to his being strapped into the electric chair?

The film’s final minutes – the walk to the execution chamber and the views of the electric “juice” levers – are as memorable as any sermon.

Rather than impose term-papers or stringent essays, the instructor imposed this assignment:

“Imagine that your job is to write a newspaper headline for a review of this film. Or imagine that your job is to write a radio promo for this film. You have to be brief even as you have to deliver something that would grab the reader’s or listener’s attention. In a few well-chosen words, deliver something that would be memorable.”

As best as the instructor can remember, two of the responses from inmate-students were:

“It takes a brave man to play the coward.”

“His ultimate sentence was an ultimate repentance.”

Putting hatred and distrust aside

The Defiant Ones (1958) received nine Academy Award nominations, including the Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The film won the Golden Globe as the Best Motion Picture – Drama.

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Two convicts escape from a chain-gang in the American South. The escapees: a white man shackled to a black man, the black man shackled to the white man. To evade the well-armed posse and bloodhounds, they have to cooperate with each other; they have to trust each other.

Again, the inmate-students were charged with composing newspaper headlines and radio promos that would capture the essence of the film. On the theory that it takes more time and concentration, and diligence, to write something pithy, and telling, here are two responses that the instructor believes he is recalling fairly accurately:

“Bonds that shackle, and eventually unite.”

“Saving your miserable life, or saving a friendship and your soul.”

A father’s financial struggles, a son’s social struggles

The obstacles and disappointments of an immigrant father and his young son are well conveyed in the Swedish film Pelle the Conqueror (1988).

The running time of 150 minutes and the subtitles deterred the instructor from including the film in his in-prison curriculum.

However, the young son’s overcoming of prejudices and discriminations – despite the father’s failings and embarrassments – had the instructor recommend the film to a number of inmates who might then pass along the recommendation to their sons.

Despair and Desperation: A father’s financial struggles have him seek justice against a thief, and have him contemplate resorting to crime himself.

A 1948 film really hit home for the many fathers and sons in that prison classroom.

The subtitles presented a minor obstacle, for the depictions, the facial expressions, in Bicycle Thieves, which is also known as The Bicycle Thief, tell a story of struggle, temptation, and loss of self-esteem.

In post-WW II Italy, there is frustration for those seeking employment. Rome is in rubbles. Jobs are scarce. Sacrifices have to be made just to redeem a bicycle (from pawn, by pawning the family’s bedsheets). The reclaimed bicycle will be the earner: it will allow a father to gain a meager wage by traveling around the city to paste up large posters. The posters herald entertainments unattainable to most. To make those rounds, the father must have a bicycle.

Elation turns to despair: His first day on the job, the father’s bicycle is stolen. Frantically, he and his little son search all over Rome for the stolen bicycle. Will he be able to find the thief and bring the thief to justice? Will he ever be able to find and reclaim his bicycle, and provide for his family? Will he be so desperate that he will steal another man’s bicycle and thus deprive that family of subsistence in post-war Italy?

Will financial extremis and the resulting personal depression have a father so desperate that he will contemplate crime?

To provide for his family, will that father risk his dignity and the esteem of his adoring 9-year-old son?

In 1949, the film was awarded an honorary Oscar (several years prior to the Academy’s inauguration of the award for Best Foreign Film).

For the in-prison instructor, the film continued to reward. The following is the writing prompt he gave to the inmate-students ten years ago:

“Imagine that you are the prosecutor who has been assigned to the case, The People of Italy (jurisdiction Rome) versus The Bicycle Thief. Would you prosecute or would you drop the charges? Would you offer a plea-bargain deal and, if so, what would be the terms? In your estimation, would the father’s predicament and motivation be mitigating circumstances?”

Most of the students were inclined to drop the charges, citing the harsh realities of poverty that weigh on a provider who cannot find “an honest day’s work.”

One student wrote about circumstances that have fathers put their honor “in hock.” One got close to a metaphor about bicycle chains, family chains, and financial chains. One wrote of life depending on livelihood, of the humiliation of unemployment and un-employability. One resorted to rhymes – “no pleasure in a desperate measure.” One got into a musing that played on “to steal or not to steal – that is the question.”

Bicycle Thieves traveled with those student-inmates as they returned to their lock-ups. The plight of the film’s misfortunate father occupied their lights-out thoughts.